THINGS TO DO IN SIEM REAP

1. Baray Swimming Pool During the months of March, April, and May, temperatures can reach over 100 degrees in Siem Reap. One great way to escape the sun and oppressive, jungle humidity is to head for Baray Swimming Pool-owned bar and restaurant situated in the hotel, swimming pool. Don't let the outside appearance fool you,Baray Swimming Pool provides a great environment for cooling off and meeting people at the same time.

2. Angkor National Museum The Angkor National Museum houses thousands of artifacts recovered from Angkor Wat and the surrounding areas in an impressive building. Art, statues, and well-planned video presentations make this museum well worth the US $12 entrance. Visiting the Angkor National Museum before Angkor Wat will give you an insight into the history of the Khmer civilization and will enhance your visit to the temple ruins. A walk through the museum only takes a few minutes from the hotel.

3. Cello Concert at Children's hospital Dr. Beat Richner from Switzerland has been helping the children of Cambodia since 1992 and has even appeared in films. Every Saturday evening around 7 p.m. Dr. Richner gives a free cello performance at the Jayavarman VII Children's Hospital to anyone wishing to see - and help - his efforts to give local kids a better future. Donations accepted.

4. Kompong Phluk About 13 miles from Siem Reap, Kampong Phluk is a fishing village constructed on stilts in the swamps around Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Cambodia. Only a handful of tourists make the journey by boat or bus to Kampong Phluk, which has helped the village retain much of its authenticity. This is the place to go to see daily Khmer life away from the influence of heavy tourism.

5. Wat Thmei Siem Reap suffered horribly under the Khmer Rouge, and the area’s victims are commemorated today in this monastery. A glass-walled stupa on the premises holds a mass of bones belonging to massacre victims. Like its counterpart Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh, Wat Thmei provides a stark reminder of the insanity that ruled Cambodia in the 1970s. It’s not all bones and death here, though; the large monastery here houses a good number of monks and orphans under their care. (Wat Thmei is not part of Siem Reap’s unfortunate orphanage tourism circuit – for more on why you shouldn’t patronize the area’s orphanages, read this: Orphanages in Cambodia are Not Tourist Attractions.)